Pms works great to serve files but lacks some features for configuring what shows up on the ps3; like every other server of this type.That's why I've created this modified version of pms, which lets you configure your folders and content the way you want. Nothing regarding file streaming has been changed, only the way files are being shown. It's built on top of a recent pms version (1.90.2). Builds are available for windows, linux and OSX.

Nightly build:Want to always keep up to date? Download the latest nightly build.From the above link, download pms-<xxx>-jar-with-dependencies.jar, copy it to your installation directory and rename it to pms.jar (after having renamed the contained pms.jar to e.g. pms-backup20110202.jar). Now you're using the most recent version of pms-mlx. Be aware that this is the version currently being developed and can be incomplete or contain bugs.It is still recommended to install an official release, because it might contain new binaries (e.g. mencoder) and possibly other setting changes when it's being released.

Features:- Import from imdb or tmdb (extensible through a plugin system)- Configure what files will show up in a folder by setting conditions- Set the way files will be sorted in a folder- Show files either as single files or with more information in a folder (similar to transcode folder)- Configure how the name of the file will look and what icon will show up- Track the files you've played

Developers: Help making it better by creating plugins!

Quick start:- You'll find a new tab called media library- In the general tab, click on scan folder and add all the folders you want-- As currently, only videos are working, the other check marks won't have any effect.

Now you're all set and can use it with the default configuration. You can also configure the entire folder structure that will show up on the ps3 using about 50 parameters like size, languages, genres, plot...All existing folders that are known from pms like the ones configured in shared folders or iTunes are also available.

Some limitations you should be aware of:- Only a single instance can be ran. This is because the database only allows a single connection.- For media library folders, only video works for now. You can still use images and audio the same way as before, by adding file system folders- If you create folders that will show many files, it will take up a lot of memory when displaying them on the ps3.- It has a built in user interface for configuration. If you want to use it in headless mode a tiny SOAP interface lets you configure the basics like scanning a folder

It's not finished by a long shot, but you can do fun stuff with it already and don't loose any functionality compared to the original one.

Running SUSE 11.3 from the PMServ distroUpdated PMS to SVN version 413 (although at the moment trialling pms-mlx)Running Java 1.6.0 b20 (latest for SUSE that I can find!)Rendering on PS3 or Samsung 40C7000

Hehe, usually with null pointers, there's something dead wrong, just don't know yet what it is.

First off, I've basically tested this release (checked that the application starts properly on ubuntu 10.10 with java 6_22 and didn't notice any problems either by launching the jar itself or the shell script.

Now I'd be curious to know what goes wrong on your side- How did you install the application? Extracted all the files contained in the zip to a new folder?- How did you launch the application? jar, script?- What jdk/jre are you using with your suse installation? Oracle?

Could you have a look in the media library logs (app dir/logs/info/*.log) to see if there is an error?

And finally have you tried the official 472 code?

Anyone elese having tried the linux version with positive or negative feedback?

If you always wanted to have your most recent videos at the top of the folder in the ps3 or wished you could group all videos with the same genre in one folder, have a look at pms-mlx

Firstly, I may have spotted the problem... I am using b20 release of Java, so that may be the first point of call, but I am not sure what else that will break! lol

In answer to your questions:- I extracted the resources folder (and subfolders), renamed the old pms.jar > pms.jar.backup and extracted the new pms.jar in it's place also extracted the logxxx.xml file into the same folder as pms.jar- I launched it via a service, which calls the script (I run PMServ-based linux distro, see my sig)- I am using SUSE with b20 version jre

When I get home I will take a look at the logs you have suggested.

No, I haven't tried the official 472 build yet... I have been waiting for some Samsung-specific stuff to be released before upgrading my SVN version

Is there any documentation on the structure of the pms.conf file (if different) for shared folders?

Thanks for your efforts with this... looking forward to seeing the results.

Running SUSE 11.3 from the PMServ distroUpdated PMS to SVN version 413 (although at the moment trialling pms-mlx)Running Java 1.6.0 b20 (latest for SUSE that I can find!)Rendering on PS3 or Samsung 40C7000

Firstly, I may have spotted the problem... I am using b20 release of Java, so that may be the first point of call, but I am not sure what else that will break! lol

I've tested with 22 and 23 and both worked. I don't think the problem lies here, but who knows!?

In answer to your questions:- I extracted the resources folder (and subfolders), renamed the old pms.jar > pms.jar.backup and extracted the new pms.jar in it's place also extracted the logxxx.xml file into the same folder as pms.jar- I launched it via a service, which calls the script (I run PMServ-based linux distro, see my sig)- I am using SUSE with b20 version jre

Could you try extracting all the files to a clean directory and try starting it from there just to make sure no copy/paste/rename mistake has been made? And finally launch it directly (not through a service)? Possibly something goes wrong with paths there. I haven't got much experience with linux demons, but know that under windows the local dir will be System32 if launched by local service; this could mess up paths.Trying to figure out what happens here

Is there any documentation on the structure of the pms.conf file (if different) for shared folders?

the shared folders aren't used by the mlx mod anymore. All the configuration is being stored in the database. There aren't any changes to the current conf file (except some parameters that aren't used anymore, going to describe this in the wiki at some point).

I don't quite get what you're trying to achieve; specifically what do you want to sort by which date?With the mlx extension you can sort all your local files by date inserted and last modified (or any other field available for video files). If you want to sort content from the web.config by date, it will need some changes. As the web config has been converted into a plugin (new and proper to mlx), this plugin would have to be improved. Anyway it would be a good thing (and not that much work) to be able to configure each instance of a 'web plugin' with its own file. Probably you don't get what I'm talking about if you haven't been able to launch the file

No, I haven't tried the official 472 build yet... I have been waiting for some Samsung-specific stuff to be released before upgrading my SVN version

If the above tips don't help and you feel comfortable with svn, you could check out the entire trunk, load all projects into the eclipse workspace and it should build and run out of the box. this could help figuring out if it's a platform, java or whatever-relate issue.

Thanks for your efforts with this... looking forward to seeing the results.

You're welcome and thanks for beta testing. I had this project in the pipe for quite some time, have been using it as the primary DLNA server for about 3 months and am rather curious to see if others also see the benefits

If you always wanted to have your most recent videos at the top of the folder in the ps3 or wished you could group all videos with the same genre in one folder, have a look at pms-mlx

I will try your suggestions when I get home this evening, I shall keep my fingers crossed

If all the folders settings are stored in the database... I run a headless box, is there a way that I can tell it where all my movies are?

The thing that I am trying to achieve is a folder that has a chronological list of movies and web content, so I can see what is new (a bit like the standard media library, but for all content, including web)... by the sounds of it pms-mlx is going to do the job, just a case of testing it. Hope that it will run ok on a headless box

I have tinkered with SVN and recompiling code before... but I don't have it set up in a linux environment... but we shall see, perhaps it will work with some of your suggestions.

Thanks again for your help

Running SUSE 11.3 from the PMServ distroUpdated PMS to SVN version 413 (although at the moment trialling pms-mlx)Running Java 1.6.0 b20 (latest for SUSE that I can find!)Rendering on PS3 or Samsung 40C7000

lot2smile4 wrote:I run a headless box, is there a way that I can tell it where all my movies are?

Don't look any further, the issue lies here.In order to have as few changes as possible in the original pms code (because of maintenance reasons), the initialization of the media library components is being done where it shouldn't be. That's when loading the tab visible in GUI. This explains the null pointer, you've never gone through this part of the code.It would be pretty simple to do the initialization somewhere else, but there is no way to configure your folder layout, except directly through the database (you don't want to do that..).Would you be happy if the functionality could be exposed through a web service? (viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9595&start=10#p44680)

If you always wanted to have your most recent videos at the top of the folder in the ps3 or wished you could group all videos with the same genre in one folder, have a look at pms-mlx

Would you be happy if the functionality could be exposed through a web service?

abosolutely! I already manage this remotely from another machine on the network via putty, and also do the 'scan folders' through the web interface already

I shall hold off doing anything more then, but let me know if you get any further with the web interface and I will give it another test!

Good luck, and thanks for your efforts so far

Running SUSE 11.3 from the PMServ distroUpdated PMS to SVN version 413 (although at the moment trialling pms-mlx)Running Java 1.6.0 b20 (latest for SUSE that I can find!)Rendering on PS3 or Samsung 40C7000

taconaut, i do not know what you did but this version of pms is working great for me. i can now get plots for my movies. all of my movies play on both ps3 and wdtv live hd of course they are all avi so there is no transcoding necessary. once again thank you very much. if you had a donation button i would send you a little something.